Disgust with Obamacare tops list

Thursday

Dec 12, 2013 at 6:58 PM

Every day I receive emails, letters and phone calls from constituents on all topics that matter most to you. I also recently held a telephone town hall where the listeners were able to dictate what issues we discussed. The single most discussed issue through all forms of constituent communication has been your disgust with Obamacare.

As some of you may know, I also had trouble signing up for Obamacare. These past few weeks I logged on to the D.C. health exchange to sign up for my new healthcare plan. It took numerous tries; all the while my information was never saved. It took multiple tries on the computer, along with assistance from the help line for me to ultimately sign up. After I had enrolled I was told I was in the system successfully and had picked a plan but was never notified what my premiums would be. This disappointment and uncertainty has been found across the country on websites that should be facilitating the sign ups.

According the Associated Press, the White House estimated in September that "494,620 people would sign up… by October 31" and "projected enrollment would reach 3.3 million nationally by Dec. 31." We have now learned that only 364,682 Americans have selected a health plan through either a state or federal insurance marketplace in the first two months since they launched according to HHS. These numbers are more proof that this unworkable law is not only harmful but it is also something that the American public is not supporting.

I wanted to take a moment to share with you just some of the Obamacare stories I have received because it’s important to me that their stories are heard. A man from Coshocton wrote in that his premiums would increase $300 per month because he has been put on a new health care plan. His previous plan was not as expensive and he will now have trouble paying due to the increase.

A constituent from Centerburg, Ohio emailed in to express her disgust with the current law. She was once a supporter of the law because she, like many other Americans, believed that it would simply no longer be possible for an insurance company to deny a person based on pre-existing conditions. As the law has gone into effect, she has felt as though she has been misled. Her family does not qualify for subsidies and will be expected to pay $12,000 a year for only 60 percent health insurance coverage under the law. She is frustrated because she and her husband would like to be able to put money away for their children’s college education but they only way they would see a decrease in the amount they pay for insurance would be to make less money. Many of your stories are similar to this family in Centerburg. Now these families are faced with an increase in their monthly premiums that they can barely afford and this increase is not built into their already tight budget.

American families are continuing to experience so much uncertainty because of Obamacare. Whether it’s losing their current doctor, the astronomical increase in premiums and deductibles or the unworkable website; the American people have been left out in the cold due to this law. I will continue to work with my colleagues to work for solutions that will put people back to work and spur economic growth and give everyone a fair shot at affordable healthcare. The stagnant job growth, skyrocketing health care costs, and broken promises are not what hardworking Americans expect or deserve.

If you have not yet shared your story and would like to please email me at repbob.gibbs@mail.house.gov or visit the website www.gop.gov/yourstory to submit your story. Your opinions are important to me and I look forward to hearing from you.